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David Levy, a 36-year-old Kennett Square resident and member of the State Police Troop K at Media Station, was released from the Chester County lockup Friday, Jan. 20 after posting a $20,000 bond, court records show.
The law enforcement officer is charged with official oppression, simple assault, reckless endangerment, and related counts stemming from a road rage incident late last year, said District Attorney Deb Ryan in a statement.
It happened in Kennett Township just before 6 p.m. on Dec. 28, officials said. When a family traveling southbound on Route 1 tried to pass a slow-moving vehicle, the DA says Levy slammed on his brakes right in front of them.
The driver then passed Levy, who passed him back on the right shoulder, traveling off the roadway and nearly side-swiping a tow truck, prosecutors wrote.
Then, still traveling on the shoulder, the DA said Levy slowly moved into the other driver's lane, forcing the victims off the road and into the grass on the left of the road. The other driver nearly hit a concrete embankment but was able to avoid wrecking by passing to the right, authorities say.
The victims tried to flee off the Longwood Gardens exit ramp but were followed by Levy, who pulled ahead and blocked the ramp, forcing the victims to a halt, the DA said.
That's when the state trooper put on his hazard lights, pulled out a gun, and approached the victims' car while shouting commands, prosecutors allege. Witnesses told investigators they heard a gunshot while Levy was exiting his car.
As he approached the other driver, Levy was pointing his gun and loudly identifying himself as a state trooper acting in an official capacity, DA Ryan said. He accused the victims of cutting him off in traffic and ordered them to turn off and exit their vehicle, according to authorities.
But when the victims said they had captured the incident on their dashboard camera and were calling the police, Levy abruptly fled, the DA wrote.
Investigators say they found a bullet hole and shell casing in Levy's car and learned that the 36-year-old trooper had been drinking at a Delaware County bar earlier that day.
The District Attorney's Office did not say if she plans to release the dashboard camera footage.
Levy is suspended without pay from his position with the State Police, DA Ryan said. He remains out on bail and is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 8, according to state court records.
“No one is above the law," Ryan said in the statement. "We hold law enforcement to the highest standards, and the defendant betrayed his sworn oath by endangering all those on the road with his reckless conduct."
"After he dangerously forced a car off the road, he used his badge and his gun to frighten and intimidate a family on their way to see the holiday lights at Longwood Gardens," she continued. "We will never tolerate this criminal behavior, especially from law enforcement.”
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